A nationwide campaign is underway calling for the doubling of Areas of Natural Constraint (ANC) payments to farmers in mountain and more severely handicapped areas.

The Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association (INHFA) is behind the campaign to double ANC payments, with the scheme due to come under review this year.

The doubling of these payments will require increasing the ANC budget to €300m which according to INHFA CAP Chair Colm O’Donnell can be delivered from unspent Rural Development funds.

He also outlined how farmers on these lands deal with severe permanent constraints that must be catered for in the review of the ANC Scheme (formally known as the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme).

O’Donnell pointed to the existing payment model in place for Offshore Islands (specifically constrained areas) and stated that the INHFA want to see this model extended to include mountain and similar type land.

Under EU regulations, Member States can designate up to 10% of the land area as being ‘specifically constrained’ and farmers on natura, privately owned hill and commonage lands in mountain areas fulfil the criteria necessary for inclusion.

In light of this he added that INHFA has developed a three-point plan which will be elaborated on at a number of public meetings through spring and early summer.

The INHFA 3 point plan:
  1. Front loading payments on the first 20ha at a rate of €250/ha.
  2. Increasing the rate per hectare on the next 14ha to €170/ha.
  3. Increasing the overall number of eligible hectares from 34 to 40 with a payment rate of €70/ha on the remaining 6ha.

A payment model like this O’Donnell said would go some way towards recognising the true level of constraint these farmers deal with, while also protecting smaller holders through a front loaded payment.

The present review of the ANC areas will see land now assessed on scientific biophysical criteria rather than the socio-economic criteria previously used with Member States presently assessing and fine-tuning these areas, according to the association.

This may result in certain areas currently in the system losing out in the re-mapping of eligible areas under the scheme.

Where such areas are deemed no longer eligible, Member States can continue to pay farmers a degressive phasing out ANC over a defined period, thus avoiding a sudden cash- flow deficit for those affected which O Donnell added is something the INHFA would support.

The INHFA Campaign will commence on Friday February 3, in the Clanree Hotel Letterkenny Co Donegal.

Other meetings planned are:

  • Newport Hotel, Co Mayo on Friday February 17.
  • Peacocks Hotel Maam Cross Connemara on Friday February 24.
  • Bee Park Community Centre Manorhamilton Co Leitrim on Friday March 10.
  • Castlecourt Hotel Westport on Friday May 26.

All of these meetings to start at 8pm. Further meetings are planned in the south and east and when finalised will be made public.